(image credit, IG my green mess)
The Hoya fungii is easy to care for and a beginner-friendly Hoya.
Since it is native to China, it likes higher humidity and warmth, but as it turns out, it acclimates quite nicely to our indoor urban jungles.
With its large dark green leaves that have a little bit of a velvety feel and it’s beautiful blooms similar to the ones of the Hoya carnosa, this plant is a classic looking Hoya that will tolerate a little bit of carelessness.
For proper Hoya fungi care provide it with well-draining soil using regular houseplant soil, one part coco coir or orchid bark, and one part perlite. In terms of lighting bright indirect lighting in an east- or west-facing window is best. Keep the temperature level between 50 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (10-25 degrees Celcius) where 50 and 77 are the extreme temperatures you have to try to avoid. Water regularity about once a week. Keep humidity at 50% and more if you can. Fertilize using a liquid fertilizer at half strength during the growing season in spring and summer.
If you manage to get these tips right, your Hoya fungii will amaze you with blooms in the late spring and early fall.
Sit tight as we tell you everything you need to know about this plant and more, including the pests that it can attract and how to get rid of them.
Table of Contents
Hoya Fungii Plant Care Guide
Soil
Hoyas are semi-succulent epiphytic plants, which is why you should give your Hoya fungi a well-draining coarse soil. Their roots are very susceptible to root rot and don’t like sitting in water.
If you imagine it vining around a tree trunk, you can easily understand how the roots would not be happy with a dark, too moist, and oxygen-poor environment.
Your best bet will be making your soil mix that consists of one part regular houseplant soil, one part coco coir or orchid bark, and one part perlite.
Perlite is the perfect soil amendment for adding aeration and drainage, as it has a neutral pH, no chemicals, is very porous, and doesn’t decade. The chunky orchid bark will keep the soil light, and less compacted as well.
Light
Your Hoya fungi will feel best in bright but indirect light. Put it in an east or west-facing window where it will be able to tolerate some morning dappled sunlight or further away from a south-facing window making sure it is not exposed to the hot midday sun.
With too much sunlight, the leaves will turn yellow and burn, and unfortunately, sunburns are permanent and can’t be fixed.
With too little light, you will notice your hoya reaching for the nearest light source as it becomes leggy and pale. Hoyas also dislike being moved too much, so try to find the best spot for it and leave it be to avoid stressing it out.
Watering
Watering Hoya can be a tricky business. You should water it enough but not too much. Sounds familiar? Here are some tips.
Before deciding to water or not to water, scrutinize your plant. Lift the pot; is it unusually light? This is a sign you need to water it, as dried soil weighs less than moist soil.
If you stick your finger in the soil, is it moist? If it is dry to your first knuckle, it is probably time to water.
If you are a beginner and struggling to figure out your Hoya fungi’s water needs, get a humidity meter.
When you stick it into the soil, it will tell you whether it is dry, moist, wet, or anything in between.
I like my plants to get to the upper limit of dry before I water them, and I always make sure to stick the humidity meter in different parts of the soil to make sure it is evenly dry.
When you do water, do it thoroughly. I like to pour until the water starts coming out of the drainage holes and then let it drain for a while. Also, try to use distilled or rainwater to avoid mineral deposits in the soil and leaves.
Temperature
Hoya fungi like warm temperatures. It is not frost resistant and can suffer from frost damage if you leave it outside. The lowest temperature you should ever expose your Hoya fungi to is around 50F. It will also dislike heat about 77F (10-25 degrees Celcius).
What does dislike mean? Its growth and flowering will suffer. You will get fewer new leaves and will not flower. It is well known Hoyas need lower temperatures to flower and will put out their best show in late spring to the beginning of autumn.
This is because lower temperatures encourage blooming in Hoyas. So, make sure your Hoya fungii is somewhere where it will not be exposed to sudden cold or hot drafts, not near heat sources like radiators and heaters, and somewhere where it will enjoy a mild drop in temperature as the seasons move into winter.
Humidity
Hoya’s like humidity and will grow faster in a more humid environment. That being said, always remember that you need to couple that humidity with good air circulation to avoid mold and other fungal issues.
A Hoya fungii will do just fine in average indoor humidities around 50%, but to give it some extra pampering, maybe consider a humidity tray to increase humidity.
It’s a shallow tray filled with pebbles and just enough water so that when you put your pot on top, it’s not in direct contact with the water. The water will evaporate and slowly elevate the humidity around your plant.
You can always opt for a humidifier if you can afford it spacially and financially, as that is the easiest and most convenient way of adding some moisture to your air.
When taking care of ventilation, remember to open your windows now and then, consider a small fan, or putting your plants just a little bit further apart.
Fertilizer
During the growing season, fertilize your Hoya fungii with a liquid fertilizer for green plants diluted to half strength every two to three waterings during the summer season. I say every two or three waterings because personally, I like to fertilize my plants just after watering.
That way, I know I’m not pouring fertilizer on dry roots, and I’m avoiding fertilizer burn.
You can also consider giving it some bloom boosting fertilizer nearing the middle of spring or when you can see it’s about to bloom.
Propagation
Hoya plants are most commonly propagated by stem cuttings, and the same is true for your Hoya fungii. Stem propagation by water, soil, or sphagnum moss is all good options when you are considering propagating your Hoya. We have prepared a step by step guide for you to follow along, although the process is easy and relatively straightforward.
- Choose stem cutting with a couple of nodes and leaves, make sure it is healthy and free of pests, and choose a younger branch rather than going for old ones.
- Remove bottom leaves to expose a node or two; the roots will be growing from these nodes. Always leave at least a couple of leaves on the cutting.
- Put it in water/soil/sphagnum moss. Make sure the water or soil is not in contact with the leaves on top to avoid rotting. If you are rooting it in soil, make it a nutrient-rich soil meant for younger plants. If you are opting for the sphagnum moss, wrap it around the nodes of the cutting.
- Keep it in a bright and warm place in your home.
- Keep the soil or the moss evenly moist but not soggy. Consider enclosing it in a plastic bag or under a humidity dome to increase humidity and encourage rooting.
- When you see a couple of inches of roots, transplant into a small pot with Hoyas’ recommended soil mix.
- Enclose in a plastic bag or under a humidity dome, and keep an eye on it for a while. Young cuttings are susceptible to pests and disease, so a little extra care won’t hurt.
Growth
Hoya fungii are vigorous vining growers and can grow over six feet in length if given the right conditions. Give it a sound support system like a moss stick or trellis to grab onto for better stability.
Potting
Repot your hoya every year or two, but remember this doesn’t necessarily mean increasing the pot’s size. Hoya’s grow and flower best when the roots are just a little crowded in the pot. Avoid potting it in containers that are too large since too much soil around the roots will cause waterlogging and unhappy rotting roots.
As long as the roots are not coming out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, leave it be unless you want to give it fresher and better soil.
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Fun fact. ? name is hoya fungii, and this hoya is really thirsty ? #hoyafungii
Common Problems with Hoya fungii
Hoyas are susceptible to quite a few pests, but Hoya fungii’s biggest enemies will be spider mites, scale, and thrips. Let’s go over how to recognize them and save your plant, but before we do that, I would like to remind you that as soon as you discover a plant is affected by any pest or disease, the first thing you should do is quarantine it. This is the only way to be sure your other plants will not be affected.
Spider mites
Spider mites are small, white to bright green spider looking bugs. If you see fine webbing on your Hoya fungii, make no mistake, spider mites are here, and the invasion is substantial.
You will find them hanging out on the underside of the leaves and at the nodes. They suck your plant’s sap to feed and take no prisoners. Left untreated, they can kill a plant.
To deal with them, you should first give your plant a heavy shower to blast them off. Then do an insecticidal soap treatment to get rid of any larvae and eggs.
Since they are pretty good at playing hide and seek, there is a good chance you will miss some the first time you try to tackle them.
Do repeated treatments with an insecticide like neem oil or a store-bought ready-made mix.
Spider mites thrive in dry and hot environments, so consider elevating humidity and lowering temperatures.
Moving your Hoya fungii to the bathroom can be an excellent quick fix; that’s where spider mites go to die in my home.
Scale
Small brown rounded lumps on your plant might seem innocuous, but be aware, this could be scale!
If upon closer inspection you realize the brow shells are just a cover-up for tiny bugs sucking at the sap of your plant, here are a few pointers on how to get rid of them.
You should first try to remove the shells, either with a fingernail, a toothbrush, or a q-tip, scrape the little suckers away.
Give your plant a good insecticidal soap lather and rub to make sure you got rid of all of them. You can also spray it with neem oil after, just for good measure.
Thrips
Thrips are notoriously hard to get rid of. They are longish flying insects that feed on the sap of your plant. Because they have wings, they are exceptionally capable of getting to all of your plants in a short period, so early recognition and treatment are essential.
First, shower away as many bugs as you can, then I suggest you do a Neem oil treatment if the infestation is not acute, but don’t be afraid to go right in with insecticidal soap or store-bought insecticide right away.
Be ready to repeat this treatment every ten days until the thrips are gone, as they like coming back again and again and giving you trouble long term.
Tips to keep your Hoya fungi problem-free
- Plant it in a well-draining and aerated soil
- Give it lots of bright but indirect light
- Let it experience a drop in temperature in spring to trigger flowering
- Fertilize after watering to avoid fertilizer burn
- Give it a sturdy trellis or some kind of support
- Regularly treat with neem oil
Frequently asked questions about Hoya fungii
How to make the soil more aerated for my Hoya fungii without using perlite?
Instead of perlite, you can use coarse sand, vermiculite, or peat moss. We recommend perlite since it is pH neutral and doesn’t decade with time, but you can use other soil amendments.
Should I deadhead spent flowers on my Hoya fungii?
You can if you want, but as you are doing so, be careful not to damage the spur the flowers are growing from. This is where future blooms will come from, as Hoyas flower from the same spur multiple times.
What kind of pot should I plant my Hoya fungii in?
We recommend terracotta pots for plants like Hoyas that are prone to root rot. You can also use plastic pots; just make sure that whatever pot you choose has adequate drainage holes.
Conclusion
If you are a beginner but are looking into getting a houseplant, a Hoya fungii will be the perfect option for you.
Although it is not very popular, this plant is worth looking into or grabbing at the garden center if you get lucky and find one there.
Low maintenance and blooming, what is not to like?
We hope we have given you all of the information you need, but if you have any doubts, you can always shoot us a question in our Facebook group- our community will be happy to help you.